Several Democrat-led states are declining to participate in the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, opting out of a centerpiece event marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
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Illinois is among the states that will not send an official delegation or fund an exhibit at the event. Other states skipping the fair include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
States that chose not to participate have cited a combination of high participation costs, limited sponsor interest and political considerations.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s office did not provide a specific reason for Illinois’ decision, saying only that the state would not send an official delegation or spend taxpayer money on the event.
Although Illinois will not have an official state exhibit, the state will still have a presence at the fair through the Peoria Riverfront Museum.
“The Peoria Riverfront Museum volunteered to represent Illinois at the Great American State Fair,” a Pritzker spokesperson said. “The museum will build an Illinois-centric pavilion. State funds were not used to pay for the Museum’s travel, registration or exhibit design and giveaways.”
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The Great American State Fair was organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership established through an executive order signed by Trump. The organization describes itself as nonpartisan.
Freedom 250 constructed a pavilion for every state and U.S. territory, but participating states are responsible for designing, furnishing and transporting their own exhibits to Washington.
While Illinois is bypassing the National Mall event, state officials are continuing other activities tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial.
Illinois has organized a yearlong America 250 celebration, awarded 250 public art grants and plans to join every state in a nationwide public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8.
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The Great American State Fair is scheduled to run through July 10.
